An NYTimes article about Mr. Obama's teaching experience in UChicago Law School really made me believe that he IS smart. He knows how to test ideas with a "lay low" attitude and to be safe. He got the right place---university classrooms.
It is good to think loud and make others hear your belief such as "I have a dream..." by Dr. King. The place where you can do this is sexy. I have been tangoing with many great opportunities presented in my life and trial with different career path but I found the road sign at all crossings pointing to the same direction---classrooms.
Dr. Zhan Gao, the CEO of www.haoyisheng.com, a very wise and successful entrepreneur told me that all routines are tedious, nobody would enjoy it if working like a machine, however the job satisfaction really came from the impact you would make after completing the routine work. I agree with him.
I can imagine myself loving the interaction with students and facilitating debates over controversial topics. No moments will be tedious with a career you deem as an essential part of life itself. It is not something you pay your labor to earn a living. It is the way of living, a smart way.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Data Incarnated
"US urban public high school drop-out rates are 50% and nation-wide almost one third cannot graduate from high school within 4 years. " I was trying to get some insights from the National Center of Education and the Economy about building up a competitive workforce. The data hit me again, although I had read about it many times. I know the statistical descriptions about individual and school characteristics of those drop-outs, low social economic status, minority background, problematic community, low parental education, new immigrants, etc.
However I want to hear some personal stories to give myself a vivid image about this group. Driven by curiosity, I turned to my fellow intern, a junior from GWU. He was so astonished when I told him the data, "Sorry, I couldn't think any one that I know dropped out from high school. High school? You sure it is high school?". "I know those drop-outs are from low SES, maybe they are still attending schools somewhere, say, juvenile rehab maybe?", I tried to get something out of his "common sense" at least. "Ohh, rehab, I don't know, maybe it is like a school, but, I have no idea who gonna be there and how is the life in there." I couldn't bother him with more questions. This boy went to private schools all the way up. Problematic adolescents are really not part of his "common sense".
Then I checked similar data of other countries. Japan, high school enrollment rate is over 120%, seems very compulsory; college enrollment, 60%. China, high school enrollment 60%, and college level 25%; US, high school enrollment 83% but you see the drop-out rate, college attendance, 80%, but half are in community colleges and half of which will never get the degree.
Who gonna have the most competitive workforce in the global economy and how? Each country have to figure out the question for themselves.
However I want to hear some personal stories to give myself a vivid image about this group. Driven by curiosity, I turned to my fellow intern, a junior from GWU. He was so astonished when I told him the data, "Sorry, I couldn't think any one that I know dropped out from high school. High school? You sure it is high school?". "I know those drop-outs are from low SES, maybe they are still attending schools somewhere, say, juvenile rehab maybe?", I tried to get something out of his "common sense" at least. "Ohh, rehab, I don't know, maybe it is like a school, but, I have no idea who gonna be there and how is the life in there." I couldn't bother him with more questions. This boy went to private schools all the way up. Problematic adolescents are really not part of his "common sense".
Then I checked similar data of other countries. Japan, high school enrollment rate is over 120%, seems very compulsory; college enrollment, 60%. China, high school enrollment 60%, and college level 25%; US, high school enrollment 83% but you see the drop-out rate, college attendance, 80%, but half are in community colleges and half of which will never get the degree.
Who gonna have the most competitive workforce in the global economy and how? Each country have to figure out the question for themselves.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Holier-than-thou?
Histories revisits. And echoes.
An Economist article about India and its pollutions today stirred almost exactly the same reaction among India and western/rational readers as months ago while the Tibet and China was the center of debate.
As a Chinese, "over-sensitive" as once described by one American friend, occasionally feeling offended while confronting with overture "holier-than-thou" attitudes, I felt a very complicated sentiment reading the readers' comments in the India article. On the one hand, I basically share the same idea with those "western" readers that I believe India has problems in their system and they should accept the facts and try to improve them; on the other hand, a strong curiosity urges me to seek an opportunity to visit India, be in the country, experience it, and see whether the experience will bring me a conclusion on whether there is a "holier-than-thou" tone in this Economist article.
An Economist article about India and its pollutions today stirred almost exactly the same reaction among India and western/rational readers as months ago while the Tibet and China was the center of debate.
As a Chinese, "over-sensitive" as once described by one American friend, occasionally feeling offended while confronting with overture "holier-than-thou" attitudes, I felt a very complicated sentiment reading the readers' comments in the India article. On the one hand, I basically share the same idea with those "western" readers that I believe India has problems in their system and they should accept the facts and try to improve them; on the other hand, a strong curiosity urges me to seek an opportunity to visit India, be in the country, experience it, and see whether the experience will bring me a conclusion on whether there is a "holier-than-thou" tone in this Economist article.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
A wild guess: US to be the manufacture center again?
In Prof. Mankiw's new blog, he said a Boston Globe article reminded him that he is actually "working in an export industry". A wild thought jumped into my mind when I finished reading the article---
* if the Higher Education system in the US is so competitive (almost like a pure oligopoly) in the global market,
* assume it will, and is able to, maintain its advantage for a long time,
* assume the market provides mechanism to allow higher ed institutions commercialize their services worldwide, which means, the profit they make from both domestic and international students will be enough to survive them and make them grow,
* assume the US Homeland Security Department invented a new background check system to allow real students can get to the US freely as long as they pass the check,
Will US be the manufacture center of the world producing all post-secondary students?
* if the Higher Education system in the US is so competitive (almost like a pure oligopoly) in the global market,
* assume it will, and is able to, maintain its advantage for a long time,
* assume the market provides mechanism to allow higher ed institutions commercialize their services worldwide, which means, the profit they make from both domestic and international students will be enough to survive them and make them grow,
* assume the US Homeland Security Department invented a new background check system to allow real students can get to the US freely as long as they pass the check,
Will US be the manufacture center of the world producing all post-secondary students?
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